Improvement in car-starters



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES MALLON, OF BATON ROUGE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO FRANK VON PHUL, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-STARTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 194, [59, dated August 14, 1877 application filed May 8, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES MALLON, a resident of the city of Baton Rouge, parish East Baton Rouge, and State of Louisiana, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Car Starters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and correct description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and efiicient means for the assistance of draft-animals in starting railroad-cars; and it consists of a mechanical arrangement, the nature of which will readily be understood by referring to the accompanying drawing, whereon Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of a car provided with my improved apparatus, the several parts of which are shown in the positions they occupy whilethe car is being started. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a car with the mechanism out of gear, as when the car is in motion.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Arepresents the platform of a car; B B, the wh eels, and O C the axles thereof. In the forward end of the platform is a guide-block, D, the sides of which are provided with lugs which form bearings for the ends of shafts, on which are loosely fitted friction-rollers e e, the latter operating a little below the former, in order to support the draft-bar F in an inclined position, as shown, so that the moment the bar is relieved of a forward strain it may, by force of gravity, assume its backward position.

The rear end of the above-mentioned draftbar is provided with a cord or chain, 9, for connecting it with grooved pulley 11, one side of which is weighted, as shown at t", for purposes hereinafter described.

To the same axle with the above pulley, and on one side thereof, is rigidly keyed .or otherwise secured a ratchet-wheel, k, the teeth of which are engaged, at certain stages of the operation, by a pawl, l, which is pivoted to the side of the pulley, so that a forward movement of the draft-bar may throw the pawl into gear, and thereby enable the draft-animal to move the car with the utmost ease.

To the side of the pulley H is attached a pin, m, upon which the weighted end of the pawl rests when out of gear, thereby obviating the rattling noise which would otherwise be caused by the teeth of the ratchetwheel coming in contact therewith.

The draft-bar should be provided, at or near each end, with stops 1 2, in order to prevent its working too far in either direction; and to provide against any jar in the mechanism, it will be best, in constructing the same, toform the pawl, or that portion thereof which is thinnest, of spring-steel.

Having described my invention, what'I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The inclined draft-bar F, supported on the friction-rollers of a guide-block,D, in combination with the grooved wheel H, provided with weight 2', pin m, and pawl l, the latter operating a ratchetwheel, k, as described, and for the purpose set forth.

JAMES MALLON. Witnesses:

FRANK VON PHUL, WM. A. JORDAN. 

